Heritage site in peril

The cow dung cakes dotting the landscape of Rakhigarhi in Haryana’s Hisar district present a glaring picture of criminal neglect. They are a mirror to the sad disregard by both the government and the citizenry towards the maintenance of the area that has the unique privilege of being the biggest site of the ancient Harappan era (at 550 acres, it surpassed Mohenjodaro’s spread of 300 acres, the archaeological site in Pakistan, unearthed in the 1920s). Ever since the excavations of mounds in Rakhigarhi by the ASI from 1997-2000 revealed the remains of a well-planned city and artefacts typical of the Indus Valley Civilisation of 5,000 years ago, the village has attracted worldwide attention. But, unfortunately, the history of Rakhigarhi excavations has been blighted. The allegation of misuse of funds and a CBI inquiry into it, as also the absence of enough attention to the protection of the historic findings leading to the disgraceful loot of precious pottery pieces and other finds are shameful blots.

The diggings by Deccan College, Pune, along with the Archaeology Department of Haryana from 2013 to 2016 have uncovered human and animal skeletons. Interestingly, the DNA study of these bones holds the key to the age-old question of our origin: is it of Aryan, Dravidian, Vedic or mixed ancestry? In these politically tricky times of cultural nationalism, the answer would trigger a potential science-vs-culture debate.

The evidence of paved roads, drainage system, terracotta bricks, jewellery and statues, semi-precious stones and rainwater harvesting technique shows that the bronze-age dwellers were far superior to the Mesopotamian and other civilisations of those times. It is pitiably ironical that today the same region sitting on a lost city boasting of a glorious past should be found wanting in its preservation. Even the ignominy of being declared by the watchdog, the Global Heritage Fund, in 2012 that Rakhigarhi is one of the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia does not seem to have spurred us into action. Intricately intertwined in the conservation of the roots of our identity is our harmonious future. For, it binds us with a common, proud past.